What Is An External Hard Drive?

Date First Published: 19th October 2023

Topic: Computer Systems

Subtopic: Computer Hardware

Article Type: Computer Terms & Definitions

Difficulty Level: 4/10

Learn about what an external hard drive is in this article.

An external hard drive, also known as a removable hard drive, is a portable hard drive, around the size of a book, that often connects to computers by USB, FireWire, eSATA, or a wireless connection. It offers a larger storage capacity than other portable storage devices, making it more suitable for backing up larger documents, photos, videos, and other data. They are often used for backup purposes, when sharing large files with each other, and to extend the storage capacity of a computer without having to replace the internal hard drive.

An external hard drive can be used by plugging it into the port of the computer. On most computers, it will take some time before the contents of the external hard drive will appear on-screen. After that, users can start using the files located on the drive, or move files to and from it. An external hard drive will appear as a secondary hard drive and is accessed in a slightly different way. For example, external drives are listed next to the other devices in File Explorer and Disk Management on Windows.

Difference Between Internal and External Hard Drives

The main difference between internal and external hard drives is that an external hard drive is portable, meaning that it can be easily connected and disconnected at any time without losing the data. External hard drives are also smaller and lighter than internal desktop hard drives. They receive power from the computer or laptop and their portability comes with convenience. They are best suited for temporary use and when transferring large files between different computers that are too large for a USB flash drive or DVD. Like internal hard drives, it is important to consider read/write speed, storage capacity, cost, and system compatibility before making a purchase.

Unlike internal hard drives, external hard drives are not directly connected to the motherboard inside the computer case. Instead, they first run through the outside of the computer case, and then connect to the motherboard. This makes an external hard drive quicker to install and start using in a few minutes. However, they are prone to mechanical damage, can fail more easily, and are more likely to be stolen, because they are moved around more often than internal hard drives.

Another difference between an internal and external hard drive is the types of files that are stored on it. Operating systems and software installation files are usually stored on internal drives, while external hard drives are used for storing non-system files that are not necessary for the functioning of the computer, such as photos, videos, documents, databases, spreadsheets, and other files.

The storage capacity of external hard drives is similar to internal hard drives. Most external hard drives can store the same amount of data as internal hard drives and at least 1 TB.

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